Michael Jordan Paternity War CASE DISMISSED!

3/18/2013 8:37 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

The woman suing Michael Jordan for paternity and child support -- claiming he fathered her 16-year-old son -- has dismissed her case against the NBA star ... but he might not be out of the woods yet.

TMZ has learned Pamela Smith has filed legal documents in Georgia asking the judge to dismiss her case against MJ -- and her request was granted without prejudice (meaning she can refile at a later time if she wants to).

It's unclear why Pamela wanted the case dismissed -- considering she had recently asked the court to order a DNA test ASAP.

It's possible MJ and Pamela reached some sort of settlement ... or agreed to halt legal action while they try to work things out. It's also possible she simply decided to walk away thinking she would lose in court. We simply don't know.

Either way, MJ has succeeded in taking the situation out of the public eye ... at least for now.

Pamela's attorney Randy Kessler tells TMZ ... she dropped the case on his advice that "dismissal at this time, without prejudice, is in her son’s best interests."